Novels by Diamond

The first order came three days after Lena moved in.I was in the kitchen, scrubbing a pot, when I heard the soft shuffle of her slippers against the tile. She appeared in the doorway with one hand resting on the curve of her belly, her hair loose around her shoulders."Elara," she said, her voice sweet as honey. "Would you mind making me a cup of tea? The baby's been kicking all morning, and I can barely stand."I dried my hands on a towel. "Of course."She smiled and settled into a chair at the kitchen table, watching me fill the kettle. "Chamomile, if you have it. With honey. Not sugar."I nodded and reached for the tea tin."And maybe some of those biscuits from yesterday? The ones with the lemon glaze?"I set the kettle on the stove and crossed to the pantry. My hands were steady, but something inside me was trembling. This was my kitchen,my home and she was sitting at my table, giving orders like she owned it.By the time I set the tea and biscuits in front of her, she had anoth

The living room smelled of lemon polish and fresh flowers,the same scent I had chosen for our home back when "our home" still meant something. I stood by the window with my hands clasped in front of me, watching Julian pace the rug like a man preparing for battle."Elara, please sit down," he said, gesturing to the couch.I didn't move. "I'm fine standing."The front door opened, and I heard the click of heels. Julian crossed the room to greet her, and I watched as Lena stepped into my house for the first time.She was beautiful in a way that made my chest ache. Tall and slender, with hair that fell in waves past her shoulders and green eyes that sparkled with life. Her belly was round with pregnancy five months, maybe six and she carried it with the confidence of a woman who knew exactly what she was worth."Elara," Julian said, his voice smooth and careful, "this is Lena. Lena, this is my wife, Elara."Lena smiled. It was a polite smile. She looked at me the way one might look at a

I woke before the sun.Julian's arm was draped across my waist, heavy and possessive, his breath warm against the back of my neck. For seven years, I had loved waking up like this. I had treasured the weight of him beside me, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, the way his fingers curled instinctively around my hip even in sleep.Now his touch made my skin crawl.I slipped out of bed carefully, careful not to wake him. He stirred but didn't open his eyes, mumbling something incoherent before rolling onto his back. I stood beside the bed and looked at him really looked at him in the pale morning light.This was the face I had loved. The strong jaw, the dark lashes, the slight smile that played at the corner of his mouth even in sleep. I had kissed this face a thousand times. I had whispered promises against his skin. I had believed every word he said.He looked peaceful. Innocent.He was neither.My wolf Sera stirred beneath my skin, a low growl rumbling through my chest. Liar, she whispe

I heard his car pull into the driveway.My body went rigid on the bathroom floor. The test was still in my hand, the two pink lines burning into my palm like a brand. I had been sitting here for hours, it felt like, my back against the cold tile, my mind trapped in an endless loop of what I had seen.Julian's hand on another woman's belly,Julian's lips on her forehead,Julian smiling that smile that used to belong to me.The front door opened. His footsteps echoed through the house, heavy and familiar. I had memorized the sound of his walk years ago,the slight drag of his left foot from an old training injury, the way he paused at the entryway to kick off his shoes."Elara?" His voice carried up the stairs. "I'm home."I shoved the test into the pocket of my sweater and pulled myself off the floor. My reflection in the mirror looked like a stranger. Pale. Hollow. Eyes red-rimmed and glassy. I couldn't let him see me like this.I splashed cold water on my face and pressed a towel against m

The stick trembled in my hand,pink lines. Clear. Unmistakable. Real. I pressed my free hand against my mouth as tears spilled down my cheeks. After three years of needles and hormones and healers shaking their heads, after three years of crying in bathroom stalls and pretending I was fine when I wasn't, after three years of watching other she-wolves glow with pregnancies they didn't even want, it was finally my turn.I was pregnant."Thank you," I whispered to the Moon Goddess, to the universe that had finally decided to show me mercy. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."I sank onto the cold tile floor of our bathroom, clutching the test like it was made of gold. My entire body shook with relief and joy and disbelief. I had stopped hoping. I had stopped believing this could happen for us. And now, this tiny plastic stick held the answer to every prayer I had ever whispered to the moon.Then something strange happened.I touched my stomach, expecting to feel different. And I did,but not